The Truth and Reconciliation Report Is dead in the water

Toronto Star columnist Chantal Hebert in her most recent column opined that some of the recommendations of The Truth and Reconciliation Report can be implemented, provided Federal politicians possessed the necessary political will. Though I generally admire Ms. Chantal’s political insight, she is completely off base here.

It is not a question of lack of political will on the part of the politicians, that none of these 94 recommendations will be implemented. The fact is that the majority of Canadians have moved on. They are sick and tired of propping up First Nation peoples with their own hard-earned tax dollars.

Numerous surveys indicate the hard, inconvenient truth that over 60% of Canadians believe that the First Nation people are themselves the authors of their own problems. And they alone should look themselves in the mirror and fix their own culture and society.

Note that for decades, millions of immigrants have come to Canada, many escaping abusive situations for a better life in Canada, for themselves and their children. These immigrants have learned English, valued education, valued hard work, learned to integrate into Canadian society while still retaining their respective cultures.

Over time the children of these immigrants have successfully graduated university and post graduate education and are now lawyers, doctors, accountants, engineers, bankers and businessmen and full contributing members to and leading members of Canadian society.

These new Canadians, who form a significant segment of Canada’s voting population, have no sympathy for decades-long complaining of these First Nations people. These are the Canadian voters all the federal politicians care about. And to blame decades and decades of dysfunction, drug abuse, violence and murders by First Nations on First Nations to a residential school system, which existed several decades ago and affected a relatively small number, is a joke.

On a personal note, I fully anticipate that knee-jerk liberals will criticize this statement for being ignorant, intolerant and bigoted.

My response to that criticism is as follows: I am intolerant of condescending white liberal guilt, which treats First Nation members as less than second class people who cannot take direct responsibility for their own actions. Numerous objective studies (by the RCMP and police authorities - is everyone bigoted and ignorant?) conclude that over 70% of violence against First Nation women are caused by First Nation men or women, in the same community or who have knowledge of the victims.

How is that statement ignorant, intolerant or bigoted? It is time for First Nations men who are violent towards First Nations women to take responsibility for their actions, instead of blaming their violence on the fact that their grandfathers were urged to learn English by nuns several decades ago. And somehow that gives them a free pass to rape, assault, and kill First Nation women today.

Comments

Here’s an unconventional thought. I despise this “politician” Bev McLaughlin. She refers to this attempt at assimilation as cultural genocide. She gives no leeway for the fact it was initiated in a less enlightened time. She’s applying today’s standards to the actions of yesteryear. Ok Ms McLaughlin, I’ll challenge that . . . . .

Leading up to the implementation of the Federal Human Rights Act (April 17, 1985), the feminists – whom had already taken control of the entire legal system from behind the scenes – were freaking out. Not being able to treat ppl differently based on Family Status or Marital Status presented a huge problem. It meant judges in Family Court would only be able to order Shared Parenting. Long story short, they decided that this new Act “simply didn’t apply to divorce laws”, thus, circumventing the problem. Stats show that kids of divorce suffer all the same issues as victims of violent rape. Inability to hold a relationship, or a job, substance abuse, abusing their partners, divorce of their own etc etc. The cost to society is massive, in ways most don’t even think about. 70% of criminals come from fatherless homes, and the myriad of cost to society that comes with it. 70% of workplace accidents, up to and including death are caused by workers minds on personal problems. You think this applies to car accidents too? Absolutely. I had two fender benders as a result of the above, and when I mention it, most ppl chime in that they too (or person they know) did the same. The ongoing costs of help and support these victims need throughout their lives. The list is endless. Lost productivity, missed work days, astronomical legal fees etc etc. And this continues, simply because Bev McLaughlin and her ilk took “women studies”, and think that divorce is a Battle of the Sexes to be Won or Lost! That they need to “make men pay”. That they need to “make up for the past”. Pls, someone tell me what my 2yr old son had to do with the “oppression of all women”??? So here she is, ranting about others of a less enlightened time, while doing the same thing TODAY!!!!! Victimizing innocent children (and their dads), at massive expense to all, based on some ill conceived notion. Way to go Bev!! Not only has she shown that society would not be “kinder / gentler” if run by women, but has actually proven the opposite. She’s proven all those “rednecks” that didn’t want to “let women in ‘cause they’re too immature / emotional” – were right all along!! The best example, is McLaughlin staying the charge against that London woman that hired a hit man to kill her ex, based on “she’s been through enough”. Nice going Bev, you sexist PIG! Now, you tell me. Do you see anywhere in this Act that says it doesn’t apply to divorce laws . . . .

The Purpose of this Act, is to extend the laws in Canada, with a purview to matters that come before the legislature, to the effect, that all citizens shall have equal opportunity to make for themselves the lives that they wish and are able to have, in accordance with their duties and obligations in society, and are not to be hindered or prevented from doing so, based on; race, creed, colour, sex, family status, marital status, or a conviction for which one has received a pardon.

Andy Neimers commented
2015-06-08 04:16:39 -0400

At the risk of sounding like a “one trick pony” I would submit that Pat Anjali’s posting, about being censored by the CBC, and the recent comments about Muslim problems in London, Ontario (“Londonistan”) being censored by the London Free Press, it is time for The Rebel to consider creating a new forum dedicated to printing such obvious negations of contrary views by the MSM. (My own examples were six letters to the editor being deep-sixed, setting the record straight on the Monument To The Victims Of Communism project.) What say Ezra, Brian, Amanda, Marissa?

Don Armitage commented
2015-06-07 21:29:34 -0400

Excellent post! Residential schools were a bad idea although I’m sure the intentions were good. It’s not entirely fair to judge the actions of an earlier era by today’s standards. Although there were likely some incidents of genuine abuse in residential schools, what is now considered abuse used to be known as discipline.

Bill Elder commented
2015-06-07 20:21:13 -0400

I’m already braced for the next general election cycle which promises to be the dirtiest most cynically deceptive in our nation’s history. I say this not because of the issues at stake, or because of the nature of the incumbent government but because of the ethically vacant people and special interest networks at play in an attempt to elevate the electability of a dysfunctional substandard opposition. – many op party pundits are from the Obama public disinfo wars and many from radical un-Canadian fringe politics, with a sprinkling of authoritarian statists (Bill Blair call your office) and some well-placed racketeering UN globalists – - all of who are prepared to run media-platformed smear warfare with a compliant politically-aligned journo-list cabal. Brace for lies and intense personality cult agitprop, shear partisan odium, defamatory innuendo and a total lack of media vetting of opposition candidates – it’s all on the table for the opposition this time because their leadership, policy and governing skills are less than deficient – and they know it, so it is desperation planning which will produce a massive BS tsunami from their camp followers in the media for a month leading up to the campaign then super concentrated BS the last 4 weeks.

Get your popcorn, beer and wear a gas mask and pair of hip waders for this one folks – because the Bravo Sierra will be a substitute for oxygen in the atmosphere, it will peg the scatometer needle..

Pat Anjali commented
2015-06-07 14:16:56 -0400

I posted the following on CBC and had it “Content disabled” by their moderators as if I had committed a heinous crime of racial bigotry. I think it shows that the CBC is an enabler of the problems natives face. No wonder the TRR recommended that CBC funding be increased to support more one sided reporting of native issues.
The objectives are not clear so the solutions are not clear. My ancestors come from Scotland. I have never eaten haggis, attended Highland games, played the bagpipes, worn a kilt, danced around swords or read Robbie Burns. I have no interest in my Scottish ancestry. I don’t hang out with Scottish people. I work with people of many ancestries and never think of their ancestry or mine. Many of us were brought up in poverty or come from broken or disfunctional homes. It was painful and has affected us and how we have parented our children. I have done OK in life despite my ancestry and disadvantages as a child. Chinese do OK in life though they are of a different race than most and mingle less than others. Italians do OK in life though they retain their culture and social cohesion more than others. What’s the objective for native Canadians? Why can’t they find a way that works for them?

ron joseph commented
2015-06-07 01:51:49 -0400

Why don’t the Teachers or their strong unions defend themselves as there could not be that many perverts way back then ?
Even if there were half a dozen, the good ones would have reported them.

Lyndia Edwards commented
2015-06-06 19:20:53 -0400

I agree with all the comments and want to remind you that this policy of residential schools and the Indian Act were both progressive ideas of the time and the PM of the day, one LIBERALPARTY OF CANADA, Alexander MacKenzie was the brains behind these policies. Also, a reminder that at least 75 years have been liberal years since Confederation.

Andy Neimers commented
2015-06-06 17:39:43 -0400

This “over the top” besmirching of the entire residential school system makes the report suspect as to validity. It would be good to find back copies of the late Link Byfield’s “Alberta Report” magazine because I am sure he tackled these anecdotal “everybody was a victim” stories on several occasions already back in the early 90s…. Anybody who can cite the specific issues of Alberta Report?

Donald Craig commented
2015-06-06 14:11:39 -0400

werent these residential schools the idea of the “progressives” of that era?

Donald Craig commented
2015-06-06 14:10:49 -0400

really good article ..that does present the thoughts and moral responsibility that a large majority of canadians feel about all things “first nations”…

mike rose commented
2015-06-06 12:46:53 -0400

Where are the lawsuits against the teachers involved? How and who was this part missed? From accusation to trial with evidence is normal, this isn’t.
Name the teachers responsible. I have never seen or heard one name or heard of any charges brought forward. If you have please fill me in. How many teacher were involved? Where and when? What evidence was presented and to whom? What charges were laid and against who?
I’m not buying this. This stew has way to much water. It is more of a weak soup.

Wayne Allen commented
2015-06-05 23:29:13 -0400

I heard a first nations woman say that she and the other girls were abused by the native janitor of the residential school.

Jerry Pasternak commented
2015-06-04 16:16:02 -0400

To hear the TRC report, all native kids were abused and residential staffers were the abusers; where is the balance of information? This is a real slap in the face to all those honest dedicated people who ran these schools. There may have been incidents of abuse as there tend to be in all segments of society but I very much doubt that the whole system was abusive.